In a principal aspect the present invention relates to a tool used to remove the protective cylindrical, spark plug tube incorporated in internal combustion engines for various vehicles and a method for use of such a tool.
In some internal combustion engines the spark plugs are located in a tube, which extends through the engine valve cover over the head or engine block. The tube provides access to the spark plugs through the valve cover and protects the spark plug from contamination by fluid such as oil escaping from within the valve cover. Nonetheless, oil may leak into the tube and cause misfiring of the spark plug. In such a circumstance, the tube must typically be removed and replaced in order to effect an appropriate, protective seal about the spark plug. Various Toyota vehicle brand products as well as various Chrysler brand products utilize such an engine construction wherein the spark plug is housed within a tube that passes through the engine valve cover.
Tools have been proposed for engaging and removing the protective spark plug tube. However there has remained a need to provide an improved tube remover tool which is capable of removing tubes of various diameters effectively and economically and to facilitate tube replacement.
Briefly the present invention comprises a spark plug tube removal tool and a method of using such a tool. The tool is comprised of a generally cylindrical body member which has an axial throughbore adapted to receive a threaded bolt extending longitudinally through the throughbore. The distal end of the body member has an inclined or wedge shaped face. A wedge member with an inclined face is positioned in opposed array to the inclined face of the body member. The threaded end of the bolt extends through the body member and is threaded into the separate wedge member. When the bolt is screwed or turned in the wedge member, the wedge member slides laterally on the inclined end or face of the body member to effectively increase the diameter of the tool. Thus when the tube remover is inserted into a tube and the bolt is turned, the wedge member tightly engages one side of the tube as the body member engages the opposite side and together they become locked in the tube. The tool and tube may then be rotated to unthread or unscrew the protective tube from the engine block or head. Reversal of the process permits replacement of the protective tube by means of the tool.
Among the features which enable the tool to be used effectively and efficiently is the feature of having the diameter of the throughbore in the body member greater than the diameter of the bolt. Also, a polygonal topside or outside end of the body member permits effective gripping and rotation thereof by a wrench or pliers. The use of a headed bolt facilitates turning or tightening of the bolt and lateral movement of the wedge member relative to the body member for engagement with the spark plug tube. A stop washer or lug on the body member limits the extent of insertion of the tool into the protective spark plug tube.
Thus it is an object of the invention to provide an improved tool for removal of spark plug tubes from an engine.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a spark plug tube removal tool comprised of a minimum number of parts, which is economical to manufacture, inexpensive, easy to use and which, when used, will effectively and efficiently remove and/or replace a spark plug tube without rupturing or damaging the tube.
These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows.